How Healthy is Vaginal Steaming

Vaginal steaming, also known as yoni steaming, is a common practice among women. Most women steam their vagina immediately after menstruation, after delivery, and when they feel discomfort. The general belief is that; vaginal steaming prevents infection, heal wounds, cleanse the womb, tighten the pelvic muscles, and other hormonal issues.

Vaginal steaming is an ancient form of therapy for women who gave birth to ease their pains and cleanse the vagina. It is commonly practiced in China, Egypt, Korea, Central America, and Africa. Many women have sworn that yoni steaming helped correct hormonal issues and infections. Since this is an old practice among women, we realized there is a need for every woman to know what vaginal steaming is all about.

How do vaginal steaming works?

Vaginal steaming involves boiling herbs, allow them to steep for some minutes, and use the resulting liquid (herbal water) to steam your vagina. Women who have done yoni steaming testified that soothes their vagina and calms the nerves. It is a simple step usually done at home, but some spas use a unique blend of herbs for their clients.

 To steam the vagina, you pour the herbal tea in a basin easy to sit or squat on, covered with a towel or blanket from your waist down for 20-30 minutes. Most spa centers use a carved wooden seat and customized gowns/skirts to cover their clients’ waist. Depending on how hot the water is, the average sit time is 20-40 minutes, while some can go up to 60 minutes or till the water runs cold. For easy steam penetration, spread your feet apart while sitting or squatting over the basin.

The general recommendation is that steaming should be done not more than two or three times a month to prevent abuse or excess steam. And it should be avoided when ovulating or want to conceive to avoid the heat/steam from affecting the eggs.

Vaginal steaming involves boiling herbs singly or combined to maximize the benefit. Some of the herbs used are;

• Chamomile
• Hibiscus
• Basil
• Calendula
• Ashwagandha
• Maca root
• Rosemary
• Fenugreek
• Elderberry
• Plantain
• Mugwort
• Lavender

What are the benefits of vaginal steaming?

So far, there is no scientific evidence to prove that vaginal steaming has any form of benefit to women. The popular belief is that vaginal steaming is a natural way of improving women’s reproductive health.

Yoni steaming is believed to;

1. Improve dry vagina
2. Boost ovulation (infertility)
3. Cleanse the uterus
4. Prevent and treat infections
5. Stop hemorrhoids
6. Stops pains and aches
7. Relieves stress and depression
8. Relieves bloating
9. Speed up healing
10. Calm the nerves.

Does vaginal steaming works?

After many speculations about vaginal steaming, some women believe that it must be indeed beneficial to a woman. Because some medical doctors recommend a sitz bath, using salt and water to heal a woman’s vagina after given birth or has a tear.

Steaming releases heat into the vagina, which temporarily relieves you of any symptoms. Herbs such as maca roots, ashwagandha, and mugwort have antimicrobial and therapeutic properties that target reproductive issues.

How safe is vaginal steaming?

There is no medical research that proves that vaginal steaming is safe. According to Gynecologist Joseph Nelson, “steaming the vagina destroys the good bacterial providing coverage and exposes the vagina to fungal and bacterial infections. A healthy vagina has bacteria that help keep the vaginal pH at the right level; disrupting the pH through steaming can increase the risk of infection”. He finally advised that if a woman must steam because of the soothing feelings, it should not become a habit to avoid problems. And always consult with your health care provider before going ahead with it.

Safety precautions

1. Seek the advice of your health provider before steaming.
2. Avoid sitting or squatting too close to the basin to prevent the steam from burning you. If it’s becoming too hot, stay away till it’s comfortable.
3. If you have hormonal issues such as; infections, dry vagina, and infertility, visit a gynecologist.
4. If you must steam at a spa, make sure you ask the staff how they take care of their equipment and guidelines to reduce the risk of infections among their clients.

 A healthy vagina can cleanse its self and maintain a healthy pH level (self-cleansing). When you begin to feel any discomfort in your vagina for more than one or two weeks, see a doctor for diagnosis and treatments.